TOM THE ATOM, BOOK 9

Meet Iron the lion! 

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GOAL: You will meet the Iron atom (Fe). Concept of “Shells have Subshells.” Concepts of Oxidations States, Oxidizing and Reducing agents are introduced.

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Tom-the-Atom introduces Iron, nicknamed Fe, from the large Transition Metals family. 

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That family atoms are in columns 3 to 12 of the Periodic Table. 

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Also Called Group 3B. That Group has different rules for finding an atom’s character or the number of valence electrons.

You will meet the Iron atom (Fe), a more substantial, rust-colored atom, a Tom-the-Atom cousin. The concepts of shell and subshells are discussed. 

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Transition Metal can show several valence electron configurations and behave differently depending on the atoms they interact with. Large atoms can have two outer subshells that compete to dictate the Atom’s character. Subshells are explained.

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The definition of the Oxidations State, or the number of valence electrons that atoms can use when interacting with other atoms, is defined.  An Oxidizing Agent is an atom or a molecule that takes electrons from other atoms. Simultaneously, Reducing Agents are atoms or molecules that prefer to give away their valence electrons to other atoms. All metals, including the Transition Metals, are givers, i.e., they like to be Reducing Agents!